Bethel Church LJ Podcast

7 Letters To 7 Churches Part 4

Pergimus was a city of easy grace. It had become a church that had mingled with the world. And God was calling this church out. And He was saying you're doing some things right, but you're also doing some things that are not. If you heed my voice, if you have an ear to hear. I want to bring you to that place where you can walk as an overcomer and I will give you this white stone and we will be united together again in eternity. I don't know where you're at today, but maybe something about the Pergimus church is striking you, maybe part of you is trying to walk a Christian life. Will you call yourself a christian? And will you live somewhat like a Christian, but in reality if Jesus was examining your life, you might find that you're a lot more like Pergimus than you like to be. But the reality is that when you embrace God, He is your provider, He is your friend, He is the one that can bring you through anything in life. Be whole heartily on the side of Christ....Be all in with God!

Ministering In The Marketplace

I want to encourage you today to make the most of every opportunity you have to preach the Gospel and fulfill your call. So what if you don’t have an ideal place to do what God has called you to do? That doesn’t mean you can’t do it — it just means you have to get creative and find new ways to fulfill your assignment! I assure you that the Holy Spirit will show you what to do and when and how to do it so you can seed people’s hearts and minds with the life-transforming power of the Word of God!

7 Letters To 7 Churches

So we find that in this first resurrection, the believers escapes judgment, which is the second death. 'cause we're all going to stand before God one day, whether you accepted Christ in this life. Or whether you didn't accept Christ in this life. As a believer, when you stand before God in the next life, he will say, "Well, done, good and faithful servant." Because Christ is your advocate, because you gave your life to Christ, you can pass through, and you could live in eternal bliss with God forever, but for those that fail to receive Christ in this life. You will still have to acknowledge that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But because you didn't accept it in this life. You will experience the consequences of your decision in the next life. Not God's desire, not what God wants. But a faithful judge with you'll be faithful, and he will give you what you choose. If you want to choose to kill someone, you're going to go to jail. If it is a faithful judge, if you choose not to embrace God's means of salvation. He will give you what you want. Though it pains him to do it. He will give you what you want and you will receive the fruit of that decision. Which is eternal life in hell in the Lake of Fire? You will get what you choose, but I want you to know, it is not God's desire for your life. That's why God sends people like me like believers to tell you about Christ to preach to you. The good news of salvation is that it is efficient. So you can know what is real. You can know God's desire for your life. And having experienced the good news. You can embrace God's offer of salvation, and you can receive Christ and never have to worry about the second death. We can hold on to His promise of resurrection life

The Knowledge Of God

On this Easter day, we celebrate with many activities that we continue to participate in today, but the foundation of the celebration is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we have seen, Jesus paid the ultimate price of dying on a Cross on behalf of you and me.

According to the Bible, all of us deserve the penalties He paid, but because of His great love for us, He paid the price Himself that we might know Him and be reconciled to the God that created us and loves us.

The Fruit Of The Spirit Part 6

Living by the Spirit means that we obey the Holy Spirit’s instructions on how to live. When we live by the Spirit we obey God’s Word. We avoid situations and things about which we feel conviction. The Holy Spirit helps us feel sensitive when we get out of balance; then we make the decision to get back into balance. We are careful about what we say, following the instruction of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who lives in us helps us when we fight battles of temptation, sin, gossip, overeating, discouragement, or anything else. It is not our own effort that allows us to overcome; rather, the Spirit of God helps us get under control and live by the Spirit.

7 Letters To 7 Churches Part 2

The tree of life and the paradise of God are featured in the Genesis creation account. In the middle of the Garden, the earthly paradise, was the Tree of Life, which Adam and Eve were free to eat from. This tree granted eternal life, so when Adam and Eve sinned, they lost access to the garden and the tree.

But, when Jesus came and restored humanity’s relationship with the Heavenly Father, He also restored access to the Tree of Life for all who believe in Him. We see this at the end of Revelation, where the tree of life is in the midst of the paradise of God and available to those who receive salvation from Christ.

This is the meaning of Jesus’ promise to the believers of the right to eat from the tree of life. It symbolizes a restored relationship with God and eternal life.

The Fruit Of The Spirit Part 5

One day when we meet him face-to-face we will not be judged on our success, our educational achievements, or even on all that we may have given. We will be judged on how faithful we were to all that God asked us to do. You and I want to hear the beautiful words, “Well done, good and faithful servant! God Himself is Faithful. This is at the very core of God’s nature. If this unchanging, constant, stable, unwavering behavior is the nature of God Himself, it shouldn’t surprise us that when His Spirit is allowed to freely work in our lives, He makes us faithful and steadfast, just like God. God is faithful; therefore, we should expect faithfulness to grow in our lives as one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

In the end, the reward for faithfulness is knowing that you have been obedient and understanding that one day God will say, “Welcome home, my faithful servant! ”

7 Letters To 7 Churches

If we succumb to the devil’s attacks in our Church — allowing Him to trample on the lamp, drain the oil, and put out the fire of the Spirit — it will snuff out God’s light in our world! That is why the devil hates the Church and wants to extinguish its flame!  As we blaze with the Spirit’s fire and preach the uncompromising Word of God, a piercing light shines forth into the darkness that surrounds us

By burning with the oil of the Spirit and shining light in the world, we can hinder the work of Satan in this world and cause men who are blinded by darkness to see the light that can set them free! The Church is the “oil-burning lamp” of God in the world. Therefore, don’t let the devil extinguish your light or talk you into giving up on the Church! Satan is terrified of the Body of Christ because he knows it is his greatest enemy in the world.

And remember — you are a member of the Body, and the devil is terrified of you cause Christ lives in you! So make the decision today to let the Holy Spirit set your heart afire. Then guard that flame and don’t let anything snuff it out, so that you and the local body of believers God has placed you in can keep shining the light of the Gospel to those who are lost in darkness!

The Fruit Of The Spirit Part 4

Many people view kindness as a weakness. Those who demonstrate kindness swim against the stream of cold-heartedness and insensitivity. They stop to investigate when they see a need, even though most others would walk on by. When Paul wrote to Timothy about the characteristics of godly leaders, he said, “The Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone” (2 Tim. 2:24).
Kind people are sensitive to others’ needs. Philippians 2:4 tells us we “should look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Sensitivity is a tremendous strength that we can develop.

Although the good Samaritan probably had a schedule and plans like those who passed by the injured man, he didn’t do what they did. He let his schedule be interrupted. Most likely, kindness was a regular part of his life. This kind act was probably not the exception but the rule. The Holy Spirit wants each of us to make a habit of being kind.

Empowering Grace

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (NIV)

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰ It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. ³¹ Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

"The Spirit of the living God comes on your life, are you going to do what God is calling you to do based on what you see with your eyes, cause God does not see as mans sees."